Part 17 (1/2)
”Well, then, be it so; but loving me does not bind you too much”
”Unfortunately, it does not bind me more than I am bound; but it binds you, Rosa, you”
”To what?”
”First of all, not to marry”
She smiled
”That's your way,” she said; ”you are tyrants all of you You worshi+p a certain beauty, you think of nothing but her Then you are conde to the scaffold, you devote to her your last sigh; and now you expect poor me to sacrifice to you all my dreams andof, Rosa?” said Cornelius, trying in vain to re
”The dark beauty with a slender waist, s of your flower”
Cornelius sinary lady love, at all events; whereas, without counting that amorous Jacob, you by your own account are surrounded with all sorts of swains eager to make love to you Do you remember Rosa, what you told ue? Are there no clerks, officers, or students at Loewestein?”
”Indeed there are, and lots of them”
”Who write letters?”
”They do write”
”And now, as you kno to read ---- ”
Here Cornelius heaved a sigh at the thought, that, poor captive as he was, to hi the love-letters which she received
”As to that,” said Rosa, ”I think that in reading the notes addressed tothe different swains in revieho send the your instructions”
”How so? My instructions?”
”Indeed, your instructions, sir,” said Rosa, sighing in her turn; ”have you forgotten the ritten by your hand on the Bible of Cornelius de Witt? I have not forgotten it; for now, as I kno to read, I read it every day over and over again In that will you bid ht years I a man, and as the whole of my day is taken up with your tulip, you s to find him”
”But, Rosa, the as made in the expectation of death, and, thanks to Heaven, I am still alive”
”Well, then, I shall not be after the handso man, and I shall come to see you”
”That's it, Rosa, come! come!”
”Under one condition”
”Granted beforehand!”
”That the black tulip shall not be mentioned for the next three days”
”It shall never be mentioned any more, if you wish it, Rosa”
”No, no,” the da, ”I will not ask for iht her fresh cheek, as if unconsciously, so near the iron grating, that Cornelius was able to touch it with his lips
Rosa uttered a little scream, which, however, was full of love, and disappeared
Chapter 21
The Second Bulb
The night was a happy one, and the whole of the next day happier still
During the last few days, the prison had been heavy, dark, and lowering, as it were, with all its weight on the unfortunate captive Its walls were black, its air chilling, the iron bars seeht
But when Cornelius awoke nextabout those iron bars; pigeons were hovering about with outspread wings, whilst others were lovingly cooing on the roof or near the still closed
Cornelius ran to thatand opened it; it seemed to hi with this sunbeam into his cell, which, so dreary of late, was now cheered and irradiated by the light of love
When Gryphus, therefore, caer found hi at the , and singing a little ditty
”Halloa!” exclai?” asked Cornelius
Gryphus looked at hi, and Master Jacob, and our pretty Rosa?”
Gryphus ground his teeth, saying -- ”Here is your breakfast”
”Thank you, friend Cerberus,” said the prisoner; ”you are just in tiry, are you?” said Gryphus
”And why not?” asked Van Baerle
”The conspiracy seems to thrive,” remarked Gryphus
”What conspiracy?”
”Very well, I knohat I know, Master Scholar; just be quiet, we shall be on our guard”
”Be on your guard, friend Gryphus; be on your guard as long as you please; my conspiracy, as well as my person, is entirely at your service”
”We'll see that at noon”